


The Real Manes Men

by BeStillMySlashyHeart



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brothers, Family, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 16:12:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17665826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/pseuds/BeStillMySlashyHeart
Summary: Four times the Manes men talked about MalexOr, how Alex's brothers saved Malex





	The Real Manes Men

1.

Tommy Manes let the door slam shut behind him. He stood still for a moment, exhaling his frustration away. The door did little to dampen the shouts from inside. This is why he didn’t visit much. He couldn’t stand his father sometimes.

That’s not to say he was a bad father, just - overbearing at times. He saw the world one way and didn’t accept that there were other ways of doing things. He and his brothers had all joined the military in his footsteps but that wasn’t enough for him. No, they all needed to be perfect soldiers 100% of the time and god help them if they put a toe out of line. Tommy closed his eyes and cocked an ear towards the door. It was quieter now. Which may or may not be a good thing. 

He sighed and pulled his keys out. He hadn’t wanted to leave but he’d promised some old friends they’d get together while he was in Roswell. Tommy took one last look at the house before getting in his car and pulling away. 

He’d driven to the Wild Pony so many times he could do it in his sleep so he let his mind wander. He and his brothers all suffered under their father in one way or another. Jesse Manes had never laid a hand on one of his kids but he knew how to cut deep with his words. And Alex had it the worst. Tommy wasn’t sure he’d ever been prouder of his little brother than when Alex came out to their dad. Tommy had been scared of how his father would react; he couldn’t imagine what Alex had felt. 

But Jesse Manes prided himself on being a proper soldier and a proper soldier did not abandon his family and so he told Alex that he was okay with his sexuality. Hell, he continued to this day to say he was okay with it, even if his actions shouted the opposite. Any time the topic came up, his father would simply stress that Alex needed to properly represent his country. Never outright stating but always heavily implying that being out publicly would be disrespectful to his uniform. 

Tonight’s argument had sprung up over something that Alex had done at a local event a week or so before. Something about him keeping the wrong sort of company and Alex had about lost it. Tommy hadn’t seen him that angry at their father in a long time. Since right before Alex enlisted, really. Not since...Guerin.

Tommy closed his eyes briefly in realization as he pulled into the bar parking lot. Now it was starting to make sense. Alex and their dad had forged an uneasy peace in the last decade after almost coming to blows over Alex dating Michael Guerin. It would be fitting that their first blowout in years would once again come because of the same guy. 

He slid out of the car and locked the door behind him, shaking his head at his little brother. He’d been back in Roswell for two months and he was already falling back into old habits. He supposed he couldn’t blame him. It was obvious to anyone who had bothered to pay them any attention back then that Alex was head over heels for the guy and Guerin loved him right back.

His father hadn’t liked Guerin when he was the misfit genius kid destined to go to some fancy college. He couldn’t imagine that he was any fonder of him now, especially if what Tommy had heard about him was true. That he had become a petty criminal and the town drunk. 

Speak of the devil…

Tommy had to huff a laugh when the first person he saw when he got inside was Michael fucking Guerin. He was parked on a stool at the bar hunched over a bottle. He looked like he’d been there a while. 

“Tommy!” He turned at the shout and smiled when he saw some of his old buddies from the football team. He waved and gestured at the bar, earning a thumbs up in return. Quickly, he made his way over and squeezed next to Guerin. The pretty bartender he vaguely recognized as a friend of Alex’s made her way over and he ordered a drink. As she stepped away, he turned to Guerin.

“So,” he started off. Guerin glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he put his bottle to his lips. Tommy hunched over a bit so no one else would be able to hear him. “Just left my dad and my brother going at it at the house.” 

He watched Guerin’s face closely. He looked upset, which surprised Tommy. “And why are you telling me this?” He asked.

Tommy shrugged. “Only time I’ve ever known them to be that angry at each other was right before Alex joined up. After dad found out about you.” Guerin froze for a moment before turning to face Tommy more fully.

“Again, why are you telling me this? Why do I give a shit what happens in your family?” He sounded cold but Tommy had gotten good at reading people a long time ago. And Michael Guerin had a soft spot a mile wide for his little brother; you just had to know where to look for it. Tommy smiled when he saw the concern lurking in his eyes. 

He smiled and accepted he drink from the bartender, handing her his card to start a tab. When she handed it back to him, he told her to put Guerin’s drinks on his tab, earning bewildered looks from them both.

“Are you sure?” She asked him. “Guerin can run up a tab.”

“Thanks Maria.” Guerin retorted. _Maria_ , that was what her name. Now he remembered. She hung around Alex and that Ortecho girl. 

He nodded at her. “I’m sure. All his drinks for the night are on me.” She cocked her head in disbelief but nodded and left to help another customer. He grabbed his drink and went to join his friends until a hand on his wrist stopped him.

“What the fuck, Tommy?” Guerin asked in confusion. 

Tommy leaned back in. “The only time I’ve ever really seen Alex stick up to our dad is when it’s about you. I don’t know what the deal is with you two but I think it’s good for him.” Guerin scoffed. “ _And_ ,” he continued, “I figured you should know that not every Manes man hates the idea of you being with Alex. So - drinks are on me tonight.” 

Guerin got a weird look on his face that Tommy couldn’t decipher but he let go of his wrist. Tommy gave him a mocking salute with his glass and left.

2.

“What do you mean, you can’t fix it?” Luke rolled his eyes. The sheer incompetence he had to deal with sometimes.

The mechanic rolled out from under the truck and stood up. “I mean, it can’t be fixed. You fucked it up good, Manes.”

Beside him, two of his squadmates started laughing. He glared at them but it did nothing to quell their amusement. He had to admit, if this was happening to someone else it’d be hilarious. But it wasn’t. It was his problem. And he was the one who was going to have to tell his CO that he fucked up a brand new multi-million dollar prototype ATV on a midnight joy ride through the New Mexico desert. He ran a hand over his shorn head and cursed. 

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to stop himself from doing something stupid like kicking the damn thing and possibly breaking his foot. He needed to think of something. Something that wouldn’t get him kicked out of the goddamn Air Force.

“Okay,” he said as he opened his eyes. “Okay.” He repeated.

“Okay?” his buddy Mark echoed. Luke put his hands on his hips and nodded. “Okay.” He turned to them and saw them giving him incredulous looks. “I know a mechanic.” He told them. 

The mechanic who’d just finished looking at the damage eyed him. “I just told you it can’t be fixed.” 

Luke waved him off. “Guy’s a genius. He’ll figure something out.” He gave the truck a stink eye. Driving it last night had been fun but not nearly enough to justify the mess he was now in. He glanced at his friends. “How long do you think I’ve got before the CO notices?” They both shrugged. 

“Maybe six hours? Max?” Mark told him. “They took it out yesterday and I think I overheard them saying they were doing test drives every 24 hours so…”

Luke nodded. He could work with that. He hoped. 

He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts, hoping he had his number saved. He cursed when he realized that luck was really not on his side today. Quickly, he pulled up his brother’s number and dialed.

“Hello?” Alex answered.

“Alex, thank god.” He rushed out.

“Is everything ok?” Alex asked.

“Yeah, yeah everything’s fine. Or it will be. Look I need Guerin’s number.”

Silence.

“Look I know you two have messed up shit going on at the moment but I need a mechanic _now_. And he’s the best one I know. So just send me his number so I can call him.”

He heard Alex sigh on the other end. “Fine. I’ll text it to you.”

“Thank you little brother!” He teased. A dial tone answered him, as he knew it would. Alex wasn’t even a year younger but Luke loved to lord those 10 months over him as much as possible, much to Alex’s chagrin.

He pulled the phone away from his ear to see a new text from Alex with a phone number in it. 

It took some needling and a little bit of begging but Luke managed to convince Guerin to come to the base and take a look at the truck. Within 30 minutes, he was on his back underneath it while Luke paced alongside. He was fretting and he knew it but he couldn’t care too much about his image right now. If Guerin couldn’t fix it, Luke was fucked. 

Guerin slid out from under the truck and Luke hurried around to meet him. “Well?” 

Guerin just shrugged. “Should be able to fix it. There’s a piece under there that’s fucked and will need to be replaced.”

“We don’t have any replacements.” The mechanic from earlier butt in. Luke waved him off. Guerin glanced at him before addressing Luke.

“I think I can patch it up enough to get it working but the second anyone takes a look at it, they’re gonna know someone’s been messing with it.” 

Luke thought for a moment before turning to the mechanic. “You’re the number one mechanic on base. If you say-”

“I’m gonna stop you right there Manes.” He cut him off. “I will not lie to Command.”

Luke shook his head. “I don’t want you to lie. I’m just asking that you not say anything unless you're asked. Just give me some time to get a replacement and get it fixed for real.”

The mechanic, whose name he should really know but he wasn’t in uniform and Luke was terrible with names, just stared at him. “How exactly do you intend to get a replacement? It’s a goddamn prototype!” 

Luke stared back. “That’s my problem. Will you keep this little incident to yourself?”

The man didn’t break his gaze. Luke could feel Guerin’s confusion and amusement from beside him but he didn’t look away. “Double the usual.” The mechanic offered. Luke smiled and reached out a hand. “You got yourself a deal.” 

They shook on it and then the mechanic left them alone, shaking his head and muttering about idiot airmen. 

When he was gone, Luke turned back to Guerin with a big smile on his face. “Alright, man. Work your magic!”

Guerin raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask. He gathered the tools he was going to need and laid back on the creeper, easing himself under the truck. That was one of the things Luke had always liked about the guy - he knew when to mind his own business.

For the next half an hour Luke let Guerin work in silence. The mechanic had cleared the area so he didn’t have to worry about anyone else finding out about his little fuck up. He eyed Guerin’s boots where they stuck out from under the truck.

He cleared his throat, debating whether or not he wanted to do this before deciding why not? His day couldn’t get any worse. A black eye could be an improvement so long as Guerin waited until he was done fixing the truck to punch him. “So,” he started. “What exactly is going on between you and my brother?”

The tools quieted for a moment before resuming their usual sounds. “Why don’t you ask him?” Guerin replied. “He’s the only one who fucking knows.”

Luke quirked an eyebrow even though he knew Guerin couldn’t see him. That was interesting. Somehow he’d always thought it was Guerin who called the shots. But he thought on it and decided that this made way more sense. Even in high school, Guerin would follow his brother around like a lost puppy, even if only with his eyes. Alex was the one who would push him away, trying to appease their father. 

Ah.

There it was. Luke snorted. He should’ve known.

“What?” Guerin asked.

Luke shook his head. “Nothing, just - my dad’s fucking up your relationship again isn’t he?” He asked rhetorically. Of course he was. His dad may be nominally in support of Alex’s sexuality but the idea of Alex being out and visibly gay in the same town where he currently worked? That had to be driving Jesse Manes crazy. 

Guerin grunted in assent. “Not sure how much it’s your dad and how much it’s Alex letting your dad call the shots but yeah.”

“I don’t know, man.” Luke responded. “The last ten years, with Alex in the Air Force, he’s been way more of a yes, man with our dad. Remember how they used to fight all of the time when we were growing up?” Man, those fights had been legendary. Alex had been an asshole of a teenager sometimes. “Well, he pretty much grew out of it. But lately? Honestly, it seems like every time I see them together they’re minutes away from an all out brawl.”

Guerin let out a disbelieving snort. “I’m serious!” Luke told him. “But it makes sense. I think part of how they managed to get along for so long was because Alex stayed out of Roswell.” _Stayed away from you_ , he didn’t say. Somehow, he thought Guerin heard it anyway. “Now that he’s back, it’s like everything that connected the two of them is falling away. Alex cares less for the family chain of command than I think he ever has.”

He eyed Guerin’s boots. “And I think that’s because of you.” They twitched, bellying Michael’s surprise. Luke smiled. “He’s my brother, dude. Do you think we don’t talk? I don’t know details but I know something’s going on with you and him. And whenever things are good between you two, Alex is better. You know - lighter, happier. Then it gets messed up and he’s the grump-meister again. And that’s when the fighting gets worse between them.”

Guerin didn’t answer.

Luke sat down and pulled out his phone. That was probably about as much personal conversation as Guerin would allow him and he wasn’t going to push his luck. For the next hour, the only sounds to be heard were the tools as Guerin fixed Luke’s mistake. Eventually, he slid out from under the car, tools in hand, and got up.

“Alright, should be good.”

Luke closed his eyes in relief. “Thank you. So much. Man, I owe you big time.”

He watched as Michael wiped at his hands with a rag. “Yeah, you do.” He tossed the rag aside, gathered his things and left without another word, Luke watching him go.

3.

Charlie vaulted over the back of the couch and landed next to Alex, jostling his arm enough to make him spill his beer.

“Charlie!” Alex exclaimed. “Jesus Christ, just walk around next time.” He patted at his thigh with a napkin to try and sop up the beer. Charlie just shrugged and grabbed some chips from the table. The two watched the football game in relative silence for the first half, each cheering for a different team and getting in some friendly smack talk. The good part of being stationed around the country is that they’d all had a chance to develop favorite sports teams. 

Around halftime, their dad walked in. He eyed them on the couch with a critical glare. “Boys,” he greeted them sternly. 

“Hey dad,” Charlie answered. Alex said nothing. Charlie waited until their dad had gone upstairs before he dug an elbow into his older brother’s side.

Alex flinched away from him and shot him a glare. “What gives, dude? You and dad actually fighting?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Actually fighting?”

Charlie shrugged. “I don’t know. You two never really get along but you tend to coexist in like this permanent uneasy truce. That,” he gestured between Alex and where their dad had stood, “was practically hostile.”

Alex shook his head and took a sip of his beer. Ah. So Tommy and Luke hadn’t been exaggerating. The relationship between their father and their brother was deteriorating. Charlie sighed. He’d known that Alex getting posted back to Roswell would be either great for his brother or terrible. He’d been hoping for the former but it looked to be the latter. Charlie hadn’t seen him look this depressed since just after he lost his leg. He nudged him again. When Alex looked at him he just raised an eyebrow in question.

Alex sighed and fiddled with the wrapper on his bottle. “It’s just - same old same old. I’m gay and Dad would prefer if I wasn’t.” He was quiet for a while. “There’s this guy-”

Charlie threw his head back and groaned loudly. “Don’t say Michael fucking Guerin.” He put his head down and eyed his brother. Alex didn’t look at him. “Seriously? Of all of the guys in the world? Hell, there has to be another gay or bi guy in Roswell. Anyone would be better than him.” Charlie was almost five years younger than Alex and so he’d been around after Alex shipped out to see what Guerin turned into. The guy was a degenerate. Alex could do so much better than him. 

“Don’t start,” Alex said before he could add anything else. “I don’t want to hear it. Not from you.” Alex looked him in the eye and Charlie could tell he was serious.

He could also tell that once again, Michael Guerin was a driving force in the fighting between his dad and Alex. Charlie remembered what Alex had been like his senior year. He’d spent as little time at home as possible, skipping curfew and sometimes staying out all night, and it had driven their father up the wall. When Alex was home, the two of them got into so many screaming matches that Charlie had almost begged Alex to stop coming home. But just when Charlie thought it couldn’t get any worse, he and his dad came home early after his soccer practice was canceled to find Alex naked on the couch with Michael Guerin. 

That fight had been legendary. 

To this day, he wasn’t sure how they got over it. All he knew was that Alex didn’t speak to their dad for almost two months and then suddenly he was enlisting in the Air Force and the two were back on speaking, if cordial, terms. Since then, Charlie hadn’t seen Alex anywhere near Guerin and his family had stayed relatively intact.

But now the two of them were not speaking. And Guerin was back in Alex’s life. 

He rubbed a hand over his face and eyed his brother. Alex had turned his attention back to the TV.

“I don’t understand, Alex.” He told him. 

Alex didn’t look at him. “I know.” He answered.

“Can you explain it to me?” Charlie tried.

Now Alex looked at him, his expression a bit sad. “No. I honestly don’t think I can.” 

“Why not?”

“Because you’re straight.” Charlie was taken aback. Alex had never used his sexuality as an excuse for anything. “And you will never be able to understand what it’s like to have to choose between your family and the person you love most. And to always feel like you are making the wrong choice.” 

Charlie didn’t answer. He couldn’t. Alex was right. Charlie would never be able to understand that. 

They watched the rest of the game in silence. As Alex started to clear off the table, Charlie had to ask, “So you love him?” 

Alex paused and looked at him, his eyes almost wary. Charlie hated himself a little bit in that moment. He never wanted to make his brother afraid to talk to him about his life. But clearly, at some point, he hadn’t made it crystal clear that he supported Alex no matter what. He made a mental note to change that as soon as possible. “Yeah, Charlie. I do.” Alex admitted quietly.

“Then screw Dad.” Charlie told him. Alex looked at him, surprised. Charlie understood that - of all the Manes boys, Charlie was probably the one who idolized their father the most and he knew it. He stood up and looked his brother in the eyes. “I’m serious, Alex. You don’t have to choose between your family and him, okay? If you love him, then me and Tommy and Luke? We’ve got your back. Always.”

He stepped in and pulled Alex into a hug; Alex squeezed him back tight. “Even though I really don’t see what you like about the guy.” He said to him without pulling away. Alex laughed into his shoulder. “I know. But you don't have to. Just know that I love him and he loves me.”

Charlie pulled back. “Then go fucking be with him.” He told him. 

Alex raised an eyebrow. “How do you know I’m not?” He asked, causing Charlie to laugh. Alex looked offended. 

“No offense, man, but I can always tell when you’re getting laid. Especially when it involves Guerin.” He got out between laughs. “Your mood does like a 180 and right now? You are definitely not getting any.”

Alex shoved at his shoulder but he had a smile on his face so Charlie counted it as a win.

4.

The scrapyard was closed but Michael had given Alex a key to the gate a few months back when they were in one of their better periods, before Alex let his dad get back into his head, so he let himself in.

It was late and Michael wasn’t home. Alex hoped he wasn’t out with someone else. He tried to shove the thought away. He only cared because it would be awkward if Alex was waiting here when Michael showed up with a date. Not because the idea of Michael being with someone else made him jealous.

He debated waiting outside but the Airstream was never locked so Alex let himself in. He looked around for a place to sit before settling on the bed. He wouldn’t have except it had been a long day and his leg was killing him. At some point, he eased off the prosthetic and laid down. For such a small bed, it was surprisingly comfortable. And it smelled like Michael. Michael, who still wasn’t home at almost three in the morning. Michael, who was almost undoubtedly in someone else’s bed right now.

 _No_. He wasn’t going to think about that. 

This was going to be their fresh start. After Charlie left, Alex had thought long and hard about what he’d said. That Alex didn’t have to choose between his family and Michael. That his brothers would support him no matter what; it was really only a question of Michael versus his father. He knew Michael would never ask him to cut ties with his dad but he also knew that Jesse Manes would not suffer a son in a public relationship with a criminal. With a _male_ criminal no less. And no matter how much Michael hated the term, he had a record so it was apt. 

He had thought it would be a tough decision, in the end. But honestly? A part of Alex had made his choice a long time ago. He’d just fought it for ten years because he thought he might lose his brothers too. 

He didn’t doubt Charlie’s word but he had called both Tommy and Luke after Charlie left. A part of him had needed to hear them say it and they hadn’t let him down. Both of them told him how much they loved him and supported him, and surprisingly both admitted to liking Michael, to liking Alex and Michael together. 

Until then, Alex hadn’t even realized that they knew about him and Michael. He thought that was something kept between him, his dad, and Charlie. But Charlie evidently had not felt the need to keep it a secret and had talked to his brothers about it right after his big fight with his dad in high school. They’d known all along.

The door eased open quietly, pulling him from his thoughts. He couldn’t see the door from where he was so he just scooted closer to the window. He heard Michael pull the door closed as softly as possible and realized that the other man thought he was asleep.

It wasn’t an unreasonable assumption but it warmed Alex’s heart that Michael was trying to be so considerate. The fact that it meant Michael was alone didn’t hurt either.

He watched the vague outline of Michael’s shadow grow closer. Soon, the curly hair came into view as Michael ducked down to move his prosthetic out of the aisle. Standing up, he quickly pulled his shirt over his head and shucked his shoes and jeans. Michael pulled up the corner of the blanket and slid under it, turning and facing Alex.

“Hey,” he said softly. “This is a surprise.”

Alex shrugged. “I came over to talk but you weren’t here so…”

Michael quirked an eyebrow. “So you got comfortable in my bed?” Alex heard the laugh in his quiet voice and shrugged again. He couldn’t exactly deny it. “Okay. But can we talk in the morning?” Michael asked. Alex took in his features and realized the other man was exhausted. He nodded and scooted closer, gently pushing until Michael was on his back and Alex lay sprawled half on top of him. He wrapped an arm around his waist and felt an arm come up around his back. 

Michael was asleep almost instantly but Alex lay there for a while longer, thinking. The last time they’d seen each other they’d had another fight. Alex in particular had said some things that he knew would hurt Michael. And yet, Michael hadn’t blinked an eye when he came home to find Alex in his bed in the middle of the night. He just accepted it. Alex shoved his face into the crook of Michael’s neck. He’d hurt him so much and yet he was still always there for Alex to come back to. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to make that up to him; or repay him.

 

Morning came way too early considering what time they’d gone to sleep. Both men groaned when the sunlight hit their faces through the open blinds. Alex tucked his head further into Michael’s shoulder, Michael turning and burying his head in Alex’s hair. Without a word, they both fell back asleep.

 

Later, Alex didn’t know how much later but based on the angle of the sunlight it was way later than he’d slept in years, he woke up to see Michael looking at him through lidded eyes. “Morning,” Michael said, stroking his hand up and down his back. Alex noted dimly that they were still in the same positions they’d gone to sleep in and wondered idly how Michael’s arm hadn’t fallen asleep. He shook his head, there were far more important things to worry about right now.

“Good morning.” He replied softly. He noticed a wary look in Michael’s eyes and cursed himself. He knew Michael was waiting for him to leave but not this time. This time he was going to stay. As long as Michael would let him. He ducked his head and watched his own hand as he played with Michael’s chest hair.

“I’m sorry.” Alex told him. He thought that was the best place to start. Michael’s hand stopped and his whole body tensed. “I’ve been an asshole. And I’ve hurt you. And I am so sorry.” And there went the tension. A part of Alex wondered what Michael thought he might be apologizing for but he pushed on. “I let my dad get into my head and that’s not an excuse but it is an explanation. I just- I thought I would have to make a choice. Between you and my family. And I couldn’t just give up my brothers. My dad? He’s a different story but I didn’t want to lose my brothers. So I tried to choose my family. Only I couldn’t lose you either so I kept coming back. And I was caught in this back-and-forth that was entirely of my own making but I didn’t know how to get out of it. I thought I had to make a choice but either choice would break my heart so I just didn’t. I couldn’t do it.” He stopped and took in a breath. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes but he blinked them away.

“So what changed?” Michael asked.

“Charlie,” he told him. “He asked me what the deal was with you and I told him. I told him I didn’t know how to make that choice and he told me I didn’t have to. That I could have you _and_ him, Tommy, and Luke.” Michael let out a huff of surprise causing Alex to lift his head and look at him. He raised an eyebrow.

“Of your brothers, I’m pretty sure Charlie likes me the least.” Michael explained. “Wouldn’t have thought he’d be on my side.”

Alex was surprised. “But you thought Tommy and Luke would be?”

Michael hummed. “Last time he was in town, Tommy bought me a night of drinks and told me he didn’t hate the idea of me being with you. Then Luke called me and asked me to help him out with a mechanical issue he had and he talked my ear off the whole time about how he thought I could be good for you. But Charlie? Pretty sure Charlie hates me.”

Alex hadn’t known that Tommy talked to Michael. He remembered the incident with Luke - Luke had called begging for Michael’s phone number and the two of them had not been speaking at the time. “Charlie kind of does hate you.” He told him. Might as well be honest about that. “But he promised to be supportive.”

“Of?” Michael asked, hope evident in his voice. Alex sat up and tugged him into a sitting position before carefully arranging himself in his lap. Somehow this felt closer than they’d been a minute ago, wrapped in each other’s arms. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against Michael’s, his hands coming up to grasp his jaw. 

“I love you. And I know that I have been an asshole and going back and forth about us for years but, if it’s okay with you, I’d like us to try. Try to be together for real. No more hiding.” 

Michael reached up and grabbed him by the back of the neck, tilting his head so he could look in his eyes. “No more hiding?” He asked.

“No more hiding.” Alex repeated. “Not from anyone.”

Michael closed the tiny distance between them and captured Alex’s lips with his own. Alex moaned. It had only been a week since they’d last been together but this still felt like coming home after a long time away. 

When they broke away, gasping slightly, Alex had to ask, “Is that a yes? We’ll try?” 

Michael chuckled and shook his head. “As if I could say no to you. I’ve been in love with you for over ten goddamn years. I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up.” 

Alex smiled a breathless smile before sliding a hand into his curls and pulling Michael back in for another kiss.


End file.
